Cedar Hollow Read Free

edges, a small stand-up shower occupied one corner. She turned from the sink and was overcome with joy when she saw the old fashioned claw foot tub against the far wall.
    Immediately some of the tension drained from her shoulders at just the prospect of a nice warm bath. She crossed to the tub and examined the exposed brass plumbing leading down the wall to the faucet over the tub. She turned th e hot water handle and jumped at the loud groaning sound that reverberated through the walls. The pipes began to rattle and shake, clanging loudly.
    “The hot w ater tanks are empty.” Ben Riley’s voice came from the doorway and nearly made her jump out of her skin. She whirled around to face him.
    “There’s no hot water?” She asked incredulously.
    “There’s a small personal hot water heater used by the staff. It holds enough to take a quick shower. The larger hot water tanks are only filled when there are guests. The tubs are connected to those.”
    “I’m not a guest?” She challenged, irritated by his tone and more than a little creeped out by his sudden presence in her room.
    “No, you’re not.” He answered matter-of-factly.
    She bristled at his unmasked animosity. It was completely uncalled for. However, if there was one thing Cassidy knew how to do it was smile in the face of adversity. She quickly composed herself.
    “I guess I’ll take a shower then.” Cassidy smiled sweetly. “Unless you needed something else?” She questioned innocently, challenging him to explain his reappearance in her room.
    He grunted in response and turned and left her room again. This time she followed him to the door. Seconds later the soft glow of light that was seeping under the doorway was extinguished, leaving complete darkness on the other side.
    Cassidy searched for a lock on the door, but found that there wasn’t one. Apparently this door only locked from the outside.
    “It’s only for one night.” She told herself as she dragged the desk chair over to the door and braced it under the handle.
     
    Cassidy woke to wonderful smells that overwhelmed her senses and momentarily she was transported back in time, to a time when her mother would bake blueberry muffins for breakfast on Sunday mornings. A time when life was uncomplicated, and her biggest concern was what to wear to school that day, or who to go to the homecoming dance with.
    As she floated in th at limbo between sleep and wakefulness for the briefest moment she was fifteen again, without a care in the world. Resentfully she allowed her eyes to slip open, wishing she could hold on to that feeling just a little bit longer.
    Bright sunlight slipped through the crack in the heavy blue curtains drawing her gaze and all too quickly Cassidy remembered where and when she was. Shaking off the grief that came with the morning she jumped out of bed and crossed to the window, pulling the heavy curtains wide open and accepting the sunshine. She was stunned by the view.
    From this vantage point high on the hill she had a full view of the ocean and the bay down below. Rolling hills covered in dense pine forests surrounded her and the sky was a cerulean blue with perfect little white puffs of clouds along the horizon.
    She admired the view until the wonderful smells wafting from downstairs finally tempted her away from the window. She quickly dressed in a charcoal grey pencil skirt and a white buttoned blouse. She slipped on her favorite pair of silver stilettos which made her about six inches taller and always made her feel like she could take on anything. She wished she had an iron as she attempted to smooth out the wrinkles in her clothes. She hadn’t bothered to unpack her bag, since she didn’t plan on staying more than one night.
    She ran a brush through her long blonde locks and then pulled them up tight into a high bun on the crown of her head. She efficiently applied her make-up and brushed her teeth. Taking one last look at her reflection in the round mirror above